Big Macs set for gas stations

McDonald's and China Petrochemical, also known as Sinopec, announced Tuesday plans to build drive-through outlets of the fast food restaurant at gas stations. In a move to capitalize on growing car ownership in China, the two companies will convert 30,000 gas stations across the country into restaurants. McDonald's already has 760 restaurants in China and opened its first drive-through outlet in Dongguan, Guangdong province, last December. Two more have since opened, in Foshan and Shanghai, and the company plans to develop half the more than 240 outlets slated for opening before 2008 along the lines of the drive-through model. Sinopec said the deal would enable it to differentiate its brand in the face of competition from China National Petroleum Corp.